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From a small cabin in the big woods of The Allegheny National Forest, PA

Posts

1,631

Crack in butt burning like hell.

Sorry, my problem is nowhere close to how bad most of yours is and I DO KNOW that a lot of folks get screwed over about meds.

My butt burns like hell. Sounds stupid I know but it feels like the absolute worse diaper rash you ever had. The kind where you run from your vehicle upstairs to the bathroom for a large handfull of vasaline.

It has been bad for years and the only way I can get relief is covering every inch of my crack with bag balm. Cheaper than vasaline and my butt is as soft as a babys. Makes a terrible mess out of everything including ROHO cover. Used Butt Paste at VA Spinal Cord Center.

Anyone have this problem or know how to fix such a thing? I take 90mg of morphine and it barely does anything. Like sitting on a blow torch.

C 5/6 Comp.
No Tri's or hand function.

Far better it is to try mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure. Than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.

Is it red and irritated or just burns?
I've had "burning butt" since soon after my accident 17yrs ago.
Often feels like sitting on a grill, some days are worse than others.
I take 20 mg of Amitriptyline twice a day.
Exercise and laying on stomach help.

I agree. Do you actually have a rash or skin redness, or is this a burning hypersensitive buttocks neuropathic pain (allodynia), and the skin actually looks normal?? These would be treated very differently.

From a small cabin in the big woods of The Allegheny National Forest, PA

Posts

1,631

My rear looks very good and I am fortunate that my skin has held up well. Had visiting nurse check it today. It started soon after injury and never really knew what causes the unrelenting burning. Sitting on a grill is good comparison. I am sure now that I have been told that it appears to be the burning neuropathic pain. Always thought it was just me. Thank goodness the bag balm numbs it somehow but the mess my poor caregivers deal with is terrible. Not cheap either.

It would be wonderfull if I could take a medicine to dampen the burning somewhat. It does help to lay on my side. Sometimes I almost pass out when turned because the pain relief allows me to sleep after a long difficult night of pain.

Last edited by forestranger52; 03-29-2013 at 07:34 PM.

C 5/6 Comp.
No Tri's or hand function.

Far better it is to try mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure. Than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.

From a small cabin in the big woods of The Allegheny National Forest, PA

Posts

1,631

My VA nurse is due for her monthly visit and this is my first question. Never spoke with anyone about this as I thought it was something very strange and only affected me. Somehow the vasoline worked most of the time when I was instituitionalized and since the LPN's who helped dress me only very ocasionally said nothing, I really knew nothing. I do take gabapentin to help with hand pain and numbness but really dosen't do much, should probably stop taking it.

Unless something went very bad, my only contacts were the PCA's and the LPN's who passed the pills. The RN's were managers and except for one I knew personally who would answer the bells, never did or had time to do personal care. Much to busy.

Last edited by forestranger52; 04-01-2013 at 03:22 PM.

C 5/6 Comp.
No Tri's or hand function.

Far better it is to try mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure. Than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.

From a small cabin in the big woods of The Allegheny National Forest, PA

Posts

1,631

Originally Posted by SCI-Nurse

A lidocaine patch might be effective in treating this pain. Have you tried that or discussed it with your provider??

(KLD)

Today my nurse called and the pharmacy refused to formulate a lidocaine patch for me because I had not tried capsaicin cream to relieve the burning neuropathic pain that I have in my butt.

I tried capsaicin cream on my painfull knees in 1999 before I had 3 surgeries, 1 on right, 2 on left to remove and reshape the severely damaged cartilage. It really hurt and did in fact burn my skin before I was able to remove the cream as quickly as possble.

I am extremely reluctant to put something that burned my skin so bad before on the tender skin between my buttocks. I have nerve pain in my right hand and if I need to I will try it there. Has anyone tried this cream on their pain before? If it worked may be another option to try as it's cheap and easily available but be very carefull and try a very small amount first.

Still, news to me.

Last edited by forestranger52; 04-04-2013 at 03:26 PM.

C 5/6 Comp.
No Tri's or hand function.

Far better it is to try mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure. Than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows neither victory or defeat.

My Dad has burning butt too. Neurontin helps him, but he had to increase it to a high enough dose. Now he is on 800mg 3 times a day (he used to be on 800mg 4 times a day). Sometimes he just has to get off the butt... Ice packs help a little, but be careful not to "burn" yourself with the ice.

Who prescribes the Neurontin? What dose of Neurontin are you on? Probably it is too low and you need to increase it.

Caspascin cream might help..... you could try it again carefully. Ask for very specific instruction on how to apply it... don't use too much... wash your hands immediately after using it. It is true that in can cause a burning sensation that is supposed to decrease the more you use it. If you can't tolerate it, then you can't tolerate it and ask for something else.

So if I were you, I would ask about increasing the Neurontin and meanwhile you can try the caspacin carefully to see if it helps more.

I think lying down as well as opiates and diazepam is the way to go if the burning butt gets out of hand. Are you doing digital removal of waste? - if so , fissures are common. Get smaller fingers ;-)

Or if you are at wits end, get a colostomy and be done with it. I know that sounds radical but I would keep that option on the table.
And consider switching to Lyrica. I tried gabapentin (neurontin) twice to see if I could get off Lyrica and save 100 dollars a month. I had to go back to Lyrica because it worked so much better for me. I could have had a lot of lattes at SB with that hundie but wasn't meant to be.